Flyers Rebound in Ottawa, Defeat Senators

By Kevin Durso, Sports Talk Philly editor 

For the fourth straight game, the Flyers would start on the losing end of the scoreboard. Unlike Tuesday night's debacle on home ice, the Flyers responded to the early adversity to turn the game in their favor.

Three goals in the second period gave the Flyers the lead and they would hold on from there in a 7-4 win over the Ottawa Senators on Wednesday night.

Ottawa used an early power play to get on the board. A centering attempt from Maxime Lajoie was deflected off the skate of Chris Tierney in the slot and again on the way in by Brady Tkachuk. It was Tkachuk's first NHL goal, giving Ottawa the lead at 8:39.

The Flyers would respond in the first on a power play of their own. Claude Giroux set up Shayne Gostisbehere for the blast and Gostisbehere's shot was deflected by Jake Voracek for the goal, tying the game at one with 5:16 to play in the period.

The Flyers outshot the Senators, 16-14, in the opening 20 minutes.

Tkachuk was at it again early in the second. Just 1:20 into the period, Tkachuk came across the blue line and fired from the high slot, beating Calvin Pickard through a partial screen from Travis Sanheim to make it 2-1 Ottawa.

The lead was short-lived as the Flyers stormed back quickly. Radko Gudas fired a high shot off the shoulder of Craig Anderson, leaving a big rebound for Sean Couturier. Anderson got a piece of Couturier's bid, but not enough as the Flyers tied the game at 3:04.

Just over three minutes later, Gudas set up a two-on-one for Giroux and Voracek. Voracek looked pass the whole way before releasing a shot through the five-hole of Anderson to give the Flyers a 3-2 lead.

Ottawa got another chance on the power play and capitalized to tie the game. Lajoie got the goal on a rebound, evening things up at three with 8:47 left in the second.

Late in the period, the Flyers pulled ahead for good. Dale Weise made a nice play on a wraparound attempt and the rebound came out to Scott Laughton, who went to the backhand to put it home to give the Flyers a 4-3 lead.

The Flyers padded the lead twice in the third. First, Robert Hagg finished off a great effort play by Michael Raffl. With under eight minutes to play and back on the power play, Giroux scored on a rebound to make it 6-3.

Ottawa cut the lead to two late with another power-play goal by Lajoie, but Laughton scored his second of the game into an empty net in the final minute to cap the scoring.

Pickard made 31 saves on 35 shots in the win in his first start with the Flyers. Anderson stopped 38 of 44 shots faced.

Voracek finished the game with five points, including three assists. Five other Flyers had two or more points. Gostisbehere and Weise each had two assists. Gudas had three assists.

The Flyers return home to face the Vegas Golden Knights again on Saturday afternoon at Wells Fargo Center at 1 p.m. 

Box Score

Scoring Summary

1st Period

• OTT Brady Tkachuk (1) PP (Chris Tierney, Maxime Lajoie) 8:39
• PHI Jake Voracek (1) PP (Shayne Gostisbehere, Claude Giroux) 14:44

2nd Period

• OTT Tkachuk (2) (Mikkel Boedker, Thomas Chabot) 1:20
• PHI Sean Couturier (2) (Radko Gudas, Voracek) 3:04
• PHI Voracek (2) (Gudas) 6:35
• OTT Lajoie (2) PP (Tierney, Tkachuk) 11:13
• PHI Scott Laughton (2) (Dale Weise, Andrew MacDonald) 15:45

3rd Period

• PHI Robert Hagg (2) (Michael Raffl, Weise) 4:08
• PHI Giroux (1) PP (Gostisbehere, Voracek) 12:37
• OTT Lajoie (3) PP (Tierney, Boedker) 17:08
• PHI Laughton (3) EN (Voracek, Gudas) 19:25

Game Statistics